Corpse handling device



Feb. 27, 1934. E BAKER 1,948,611

YCORPSE HANDLING DEVICE Filed March 28, 1933 IN VEN TOR.

fan as E. Baker BY QMM A TTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3- Claims.

My inventionrelates' to an adjustable support for corpse.

The object of my invention is to provide a portably arranged support for corpse.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient means to secure the adjustable support to the floor in its normal operative position.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an adjustable support with means of attachment to a dressing table.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a head supporting element for the corpse maintained in position thru the medium of straps secured to the corpse pendently carried by the said support.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a telescopic feature operated by air to raise and lower the upper portion of the structure.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a plurality of cables supporting the corpse that will automatically increase the vertical movement thereof to greater speed than the movement of the element actuating the same with Y respect to the vertical movement of the latter.

These and other objects will hereinafter be more fully explained, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters will apply to like parts in the different views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the adjustable support, the table removed.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation with the table attached, the front plate being removed from the sheave housing.

Fig. '3 is an enlarged plan view of the guide rod support.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the rotatable anchor plate.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged inverted plan view of the base plate.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the head supporting element.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the anchor plate and parts adjacent thereto.

My invention herein referred to is suitable to the practice in an undertaking parlor as a convenient means to handle a corpse preparing the same for interment. The arrangement thereof consists of a base plate 1 secured to the end of a hollow shaft 2, the bore of which is indicated by dotted lines 3, and functions as an air compression chamber to raise and lower a jib 4 later described.

Positioned on the said base plate and secured to the lower end of the shaft is a valve head 5, the valve thereof being operated by a foot pedal 6 pivotally carried thereon and actuated to a closed position by a spring '7. Connected to the head is a 60., hose 8 for the purpose of injecting compressed air into the bore of the shaft when the valve is operated as hoisting means for the jib to any desired height, one being shown by dotted lines A. The said hose may extend to a compression tank 65. not shown in the drawing. 7

To release compression, I have arranged on the opposite side of the shaft from the valve head a pet cock 9, by which means the jib may be lowered to the desired position and stopped by the 7,0,, compression in the hollow shaft, and at all times the said jib is free to turn in the bore of the shaft for the purpose later described.

The upper portion of the jib is arcuate in form and concave as shown at B in Fig. 2, the purpose (5 of which is to provide a plurality of cables 10 slidably engaging therein when the jib is raised and lowered. Said cables are anchored to a plate 11 that is rotatable on a reduced portion of the upper end of the shaft 2. The said plate is seated on the upper face of a hub 12 of bracket 13, said hub being secured to the reduced portion of the shaft and bearing on a shoulder as at C. On the upper end of the reduced portion is a cap nut 14 threadedly engaging thereon as securing means 5 for the anchor plate against upward movement. To properly space the said nut from the plate a shim 15 is seated between the nut and the end of the shaft. The thickness of the shim may be varied for close engagement on the plate.

Secured to the vertical portion of the jib and rotatable therewith is a guide rod support 16. Said support being partially diametrically divided and means to clamp the same firmly-to the jib thru the medium of cap screws 17 and 18. Positioned in an outer extension of the support is an aperture 19 arranged to receive the end of a guide rod 20 firmly attached therein and carried thereby as the jib is turned, by which means the said anchor plate is turned simultaneously as the said 190 rod is adapted to slidably engage longitudinally thru an aperture 21, and being so arranged a plurality of cable seated in notches 22 are properly aligned with the turning movement of the jib. Said rod being of considerable length provides for vertical movement of the jib to its extremity and remains in engagement with the said aperture 21.

It is now readily shown how the cables are anchored permanently to the shaft against vertical movement while the other ends are distributed as follows.

The center cable D moves independent of the sheaves 23 and 24, while cables E and F extend in opposite directions engaging on their respective sheaves. Said sheaves are trunnioned in a housing 25 as shown in Fig. 2. The said housing being secured to the outer end of the arcuate portion of the said jib, by which means distribution of straps 26 that are attached to the ends of each cable are spaced along the body of the corpse, the size of the looped straps being governed by the body supported thereby thru the medium of the buckle 27 at one end and the apertures 28 spaced apart near the other end. It being understood that the corpse may be turned in the fold of the straps as worked upon, and to insure proper alignment of the head with the body, I have arranged a support 29 arcuate in form and connected to a shaft 30 transversely thereto as shown in Fig. 6. The shaft adapted to engage along the spine and secured thereto thru the medium of one or more of the straps.

It is now shown the method of raising and lowering the corpse at any stage of the work required for interment, and by turning the jib the corpse may be lowered into a casket or placed upon the table 31 for dressing or other purpose. The said table is removably arranged and supported by the said bracket having a divided socket with a removable portion 32 secured to the other portion by a bolt 33, by which means a ball 34 is clamped therein and adaptable to rock with the tilt of the table to its desired position. Secured to the tongue 35 of the ball is a pair of formed clamps 36 that are adapted to engage on their respective sides of the table and secured thereto by a bolt 37 having a wing 38 on the lower end thereof as turning means therefor, while the other end threadedly engages in a nut 39, a shoulder being provided to engage on the lower clamp against which the nut will tension.

The said adjustable support as stated before is portable and may be moved about the floor space at the convenience of conditions existing at the time of exercising the same, and to secure against overturning, I have arranged on the under side 01; the base plate a plurality of vacuum cups 40 firmly secured thereto as spaced therearound with respect to the peripheral edge of the plate, by which means the cups by vacuum tension to a smooth floor is anchoring means for the structure and may be released by entering a small instrument between the cups and the floor, other means may be employed should the structure be permanently positioned.

While I have shown and described air compression system to raise and lower the jib, hydraulics may be employed and power actuating means for the hoist may be of any desired type,

and the sliding engagement of the cables over the arcuate portion of the jib may be relieved by trunnioning pulleys spaced within the concavity of the arcuate portion and on which the cables will engage, and the supporting means at the outer ends of the cables may be annular rings in Which the corpse may be placed and freely turned, and such other modifications may be employed as lie within the scope of the appended claims, and having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a corpse handling device of the class described comprising a hollow shaft and an arcuate jib with a straight portion to slidably engage in the hollow of the shaft and to turn therein, on a 90 vertical axis, a plurality of cables, means to retain the same on the arcuate portion of the jib, one end of each of the cables being secured to the shaft, the other ends to move in a vertical plane at a ratio of two to one simultaneously with the vertical movement of the jib, means to space apart the last said ends of the cable, means for the attachment of each cable to a corpse, and means to raise, lower and permit turning of the jib.

2. In a corpse handling device of the class described comprising a hollow shaft and a jib supported by the shaft, the jib being actuated vertically in the hollow of the shaft, and portions carried over the jib, the portions of the cables carried by the jib being arranged to move a greater distance vertically than the jib, and straps on the free ends of each cable to engage as supporting means for the body of a corpse.

3. In a corpse handling device comprising a base, a shaft bored axially from the upper end to near the lower end thereof supported by said base, means to introduce pressure in said bore and release the same whereby said jib may be raised or lowered, an anchor plate secured to the upper end of the standard against longitudinal movement on 115 the standard but free to turn thereon, a jib having a channeled arcuate portion and a vertically disposed straight portion to engage in the bore of the shaft with a smooth turning and longitudinal running fit, means carried by the straight portion 9 of the jib to engage with the anchor plate in its upward and downward movement and to turn the said plate simultaneously with the turning jib, a housing secured to the outer end of the jib at right angles thereto, the housing having a plurality of I25 sheaves spaced apart and trunnioned in the housing in working relation to the channel of the jib,

a plurality of cables on said jib in its upward and downward movement, the corresponding ends of the said cables being each secured to the anchor plate at one end while the other ends thereof are spaced apart by engagement over said sheaves, and have means to receive and support a corpse.

JONAS E. BAKER. 1" 

